The Storm

Psalm 107:23-32

Those who go down to the sea in ships,

Who do business on great waters,

They see the works of the Lord,

And His wonders in the deep.

For He commands and raises the stormy wind,

Which lifts up the waves of the sea.

They mount up to the heavens

They go down again to the depths;

Their soul melts because of trouble.

They reel to and fro, and stagger

like a drunken man.

And are at their wits' end.

Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,

And He brings them out of their distresses.

He calms the storm,,

So that its waves are still.

Then they are glad because they are quiet;

So, He guides them to their desired haven.

Oh, that men would give thanks to

the Lord for His goodness,

And for His wonderful works to the children of men!

Let them exalt Him also in the

assembly of the people,

And praise Him in the company of the elders.

Yesterday, around 3:30 PM, I felt like I was one of these men encountering a fiery storm out in the  middle of the ocean.  Pop-up thunderstorms swept through Middle Tennessee with a fierce intensity.  We were having a patio cover installed and the three men had to rush into the house to find a safe haven from the outside conditions.  It was amazing to watch the power through the windows of the rain, wind, and hail.  It was also a little nerve-wracking to say the least.  As my husband pulled back through town last night after work, he was amazed at the damage that occurred here in Murfreesboro.  Trees were down.  Our power was out for a few hours.  Roads were closed due to debris. 

As I sit here this morning reflecting on the events (and I might add I have found my new quiet place---under the patio), several points come to mind.

(1)  You have to be anchored down. 
Umbrellas, playscapes (yes, our wooden playset in the back was moved about two feet), chairs, flower pots were strewed everywhere.  In some cases, the flying objects busted windows in houses or caused other extensive damage.  When a storm arises in your life (conflict, crisis, health issue), your faith has to have a strong hold or root system.  One of our autumn blaze maples we planted a couple of years ago is now bent over.  Compared to the other 3 that line the back of our property, we now know the weaker one.  Hopefully it will make it.  (Matthew 13:3-9; Hebrews 6:19)

(2)  You need a safe haven.
We had to have a safe place to be during the inclement weather.  It could have been a storm shelter, closet, or even a roof over your head.  The issue with safe havens is people tend to rely on other people to be in that place.  The truth of the matter is:  People will fail you, but the Lord never will.  Who are you fully relying on to be your refuge? (Psalm 46:1; Psalm 62:8)

(3)  You will learn from it....
If you choose to do so.  As a matter of fact, you may even come back stronger than ever before!  Examine your life...the trials you have encountered.  They aren't fun during, but as you sit and reflect, you have probably seen growth...and hopefully learned something that will help you throughout the rest of your journey here on earth (because we will face multiple storms).  (James 1:2-4)


And after the storm...Like the Psalmist said in the end of the above verses...it is time to be GLAD and give thanks for His goodness!  May you have a wonderful day growing in the knowledge of the Lord.

The Game Plan

My favorite time of the year is here...I am not necessarily talking about the warmer weather approaching, but the time of year I probably spend the most in front of the television.  March Madness! Each team has been preparing for this moment... this build up... to see if they will earn a trip to the big dance.  When the big dance arrives, you will sometimes see Cinderella teams upset lower seeds and someone will be declared the champion. 

Before each game, a team spends time in preparation.  They watch film, look at the next move of their opponents, study them, figure out what defense would best shut down their star player(s).  But when the game comes, if they don't follow the plan, they will lose. 

With all of this said, I can't help but think of the Israelites and their journey to the Promise Land.  Along the way, they had to face several opponents.  One in particular though, didn't turn out the way it should have...The (first) Battle of Ai (Joshua 7:1-5).  Why?  

• Men came back and reported that there were few men so the Israelites only needed 2 to 3 thousand (were they a little overconfident?  maybe??)
• You don't see anyone, including Joshua, praying before this battle and looking to the Lord for guidance like in other examples
• And one person...in particular, didn't obey the plan (Achan) by taking things from Jericho after specifically being told not to

And what happened?  Well, they lost.  They did not do what their Coach had asked them to do....they didn't follow the game plan. 

The Lord provides us with the best game plan of all...and we know who has already been declared the champion---Him. 

• He gives us a game plan for salvation (Hear, Believe, Repent, Confess, and be Baptized).  So often, people want to change that plan.  You may hear, "Well, I asked Jesus into my heart, or I prayed the Sinner's Prayer."  None of those things are the plan that God has given to become a Christian. The book of Acts gives you MULTIPLE accounts of conversions and not one of them includes just a prayer.  ALL involve baptism (immersion of water).  There is not a Sinner's Prayer in God's Word. 
• You are not "Once Saved Always Saved."  You can mess up.  You can fall from God's grace.  Do I sometimes think that Christians aren't "sure" enough of their salvation.  Yes!  (and boy was I challenged by that this last weekend by Dana Burk at a ladies' weekend).  The last part of the plan is....Live Faithfully.  Noah wasn't sinless, but he was righteous.  He sought out to do what God wanted him to do day in and day out.  We need to strive to do what we are taught. 

God's game plan is the best one of all. If you follow it, you will be declared a champion by having a home in heaven. 

Worry...

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,

But a good word makes it glad.

Proverbs 12:25

I didn't realize how much anxiety had overcome me the past couple of months until Friday afternoon.  That day, a huge weight was lifted off my chest.  I finally felt relieved...everything was out in the open and there are no regrets with the decision I had made. 

The only regret I had was.....the worrying that had overcome me since returning from Christmas vacation.  We are talking a good two months.  It contolled my thoughts...my actions....even my emotions.  And I can't take one day of it back and change it.   I know we all have a human tendency to do this, but why?  God wants us...he wants ALL of us!  Jesus himself even taught on this subject. (Matthew 6:25-27) 

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

I definitely did lean on my understanding....not trusting in the Lord.  Take advantage of every opportunity.

 I read a quote that states:

Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.- Corrie Ten Boom

How true is that. 

Are you full of excuses?

In my occupation (education), I see/hear excuses ALL the time.  Sometimes it is from the student...sometimes it is from the parent.  Sure, things happen every once in a while...but not at a daily rate.

What about in your life?  Are you making excuses?  It seems like it is the easiest way out.  You might say:

• I am just too tired to go to worship.  I won't pay any attention so I think I will just stay home.
• I can't serve in that capacity.  God just hasn't given me that ______________ (you fill in the talent there)
• I can't talk to them about the truth.  They may not talk to me anymore.

Any of those sound familiar?

Making excuses isn't something that just came about in the last decade.  If you go back and read starting in Genesis, you find many accounts of people making excuses: Moses not wanting to go and talk to the Pharaoh or thinking he was able to lead God's people (Exodus 3 and 4).... King Saul and his reasoning for not destroying the Amakelites in 1 Samuel 15...Felix in Acts 24....


I guess that this all comes down to why do people make them in the first place?  Are they scared?  Are they ashamed? 

The fact of the matter is...none of these make/made God happy. 

We are promised that God will NEVER leave us.  Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). Your strength comes from Him.  Do a heart check.  What is motivating you to make excuses?  Is your heart in the right place...or the wrong?

The finish line is just....right....there...

I continued with my "running" habit this last fall competing (against myself) in three different half marathons within a couple of months.  My body most definitely felt the heat as I battled through an injury that even today with a month or so off still bothers me (take care of your feet!). 


The first one was the end of September in Nashville.  I hadn't planned on one that early, but with some probing from a good friend, I decided to go and do it with her.  For the first time ever, I decided to run with my phone in my new "running" pants that had all sorts of pockets to keep your junk.  About mile 1, I reached down to make sure it was still there...and it wasn't.  We turned around only to find ourselves swimming upstream and I figured that it would be easier to tell my husband than to go through the crowd.  I don't know if I was worried about the phone or what, but my pace was great!  We made it to mile 8 where I remembered I hit my wall during my first half that previous October.  The hills were torturous! At mile 11, the brick wall hit me HARD! I could feel myself losing speed and hope, but my friend kept me going.  She kept pushing....kept encouraging....and I finished...with my PR (personal record).  It couldn't have been done without her.

(and by the way....a good Samaritan did find my phone and return it to me as soon as the race was over).

The second one was the Middle Half right here in Murfreesboro.  I knew the course because this was my "first" one the previous year.  It was a beautiful morning!  I caught up with more running buddies (some I had been training with for this race), and off we went!  We kept trucking along when I noticed that the girl I was running with was slowing down.  She had developed a cramp right in her neck which took her breath away.  After trying to get me to go on, I finally told her we had been training together since the summer and I was crossing the line with her!  I knew how it felt to have the encouragement because a few weeks before I had been right in her shoes.  We crossed the line with me cutting 15 minutes off my time from one year before and her reaching her PR. 

The last one was in December on the streets of Memphis.  I soon found that I had lost my other buddies because thousands had come to run the half or full for St. Jude's. This race was by far the hardest...and I know it was because my encouragement wasn't physically right there with me every step of the way.....
As soon as I entered the stadium to finish, I stopped just right before crossing the finish line not thinking I could go any further.  Two days before I had an injection in my foot and I guess that I was trying to protect it too much and my other leg cramped up so hard that it brought tears to my eyes (or it could have been the heat wave that found its way to Tennessee the first of December).  All of a sudden people started screaming at me to FINISH...YOU ARE RIGHT THERE!  I didn't think I could go on.  Somehow though, I gathered up the strength to finish that last tenth of a mile with a time I wasn't too proud of...but grateful to have endured and completed this race.

Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I couldn't have finished these races if I didn't have (1) my mind set on the joy of finishing or (2) having the encouragement to not quit along the way. 
Each and every single one of has a race that has been set before us known as LIFE.  If your eyes aren't fixed on Jesus, you will grow weary...you will lose heart.  One of the most awesome advantages to being a child of God is the spiritual family you gain as you are running your race.  Guess what...they are running theirs too!  The encouragement they provide for you....and the encouragement you provide with them, helps you to throw off the sin that easily entangles you. Why?  You are both fixing your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  

If you aren't a child of God, why wait?  

 

(Thanks David Roper for a great study in the book of Hebrews this past quarter and Julie Adams for the encouragement to write again)...